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v f Nrrnn lSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM E. RICHARDS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CARD-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 501,693, dated .Tuly 18, 1893.

Application filed February 14, 1893. Serial No. 462,280. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EvARTs RICH- ARDS, a citizen of the United States, residing at 203 Broadway, in the cit-y, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Boxes, of which 4following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to boxes or drawers in which index, catalogue, or other cards are held in position for ready reference.

In the particular class to which my invention more especially relates, the box or drawer is provided with blocks Aat the front and rear ends, and with alock-guard-rod which passes through these blocks and through perforatious in the cards in such a manner as to a1- low them to be readily examined, and yet prevent them from being removed or displaced without withdrawing the rod.

My invention consists in certain novel details of construction of the blocks, the guardrod, and devices connecting or co-operating therewith, whereby the cost of construction is much reduced, the operation is greatly facilitated, and other advantages are secured, as hereinafter particularly described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a front view ot' a card box or drawer embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the saine. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section, taken in' the line a: of Fig. 2. Figl is a transverse horizontal section, taken in the line y y of Fig. 3. Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, a partly sectional view and a perspective View of the guard-rod. Figs. 7 and 8 are, respectively, a top edge view and an end edge view of the escutcheon plate.

In the various gures, A represents the box or drawer, B B2 the blocks, C the escutcheon plate, and E the guard-rod having a knob, G, attached to its outer end.

In card boxes or drawers as heretofore constructed, the guard-rod is provided on its outer end with a screw thread, on which is itted a sleeve having both internal and external threads. The sleeve is screwed on the end of the rod, and the knob is threaded and is screwed on the sleeve. In the front end ot' the drawer is iitted an internally-threaded bushing concealed by the escutcheon plate,

which has an opening as large astheinterior of the bushing. The rod is passed through x`the escutcheon, the bushing, and the blocks, and is locked by turning it so as to engage the external thread of the sleeve with the internal thread of the bushing.

In my invention, the knob G isbored the exact size of the rod E, or so as to tit tightly thereon, and is secured to the rod by simply driving it in place. The knob G is formed with a iange f to fit against the escutcheon plate. tinued in a cylindrical form for a length slightly greater than the thickness of the escutcheon plate C, and at the end of said shank is formed a button, h, ot' an acute or an elongated elliptical form in its outline, and of a thickness about equal to the thickness of the escutcheon plate, or any other suitable thickness. The-knob, ange, shank, and button, are preferably all cast in one piece of metal. The escutcheon plate, C, has in its center an elliptical opening d, corresponding with the shape of the button h, and large enough to allow said button to easily pass through it. Extending back from the elliptical opening d, and in one piece with the plate, is a circular rim Z, on the edge ot which are two cams,f z', diametrically opposite to each other. Each cam is formed by the meeting of two inclined planes or two sides of an isosceles triangle. The circular rim iits in a corresponding opening in the front of the drawer, and the escutcheon plate is preferably secured in place by screws. The rod E is passed through the plate C until the elliptical button h is clear of the corresponding opening d, and then, by simply turning the knob G in either direction less than a quarter of a circle, the button h rides on the inclined surfaces of the cams it', the flange f bearsclosely against the escutcheon plate C, and the guard-rod is securely locked in position. By a reverse motion of the knob, the rod is unlocked and maybe easily withdrawn. By this construction, only three pieces are required in forming the guard-rod and locking devices, instead of five pieces as heretofore; no screw threads are required as heretofore, and only a slight turn of the knob for less than a quarter of a circle in either direction is required for either locking or un- Froin the flange fthe shank gis conlocking, instead of several turns and the engagementofscrew'threads as heretofore.

The block B is preferably fastened tothe' front of the drawer by glue or otherwise. The block B2 is movable back or forward, to accommodate dierent quantities of cards; and it may be provided with dovvels'and pinsE or other suitable means for holding it at desired points. Heretofore the holes in the, blocks for the passage of the rod have been' simply straight or cylindrical throughout, and this would cause difficulty and delay in pass-` ing the rod through the blocks when in haste. In my invention, the holes m in the blocks` are made tapering in form, being very Wide in front and tapering symmetrically to the size of the rod at the rear kside of each block. By this means the guard-rod is sure to reach its:y proper place in the block Without difficulty or delay.- What I claim as new, and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is'- 1. Ina card-holding box or drawer, va guardg rod provided with a looking device consisting of a button and a cam or cams engaging with i ton h on't'he end thereof, an elliptical opening in the face of the box' or drawer for the insertion of the button and an esc'utcheon plate having a rim Z provided with cam snr- Efaces adapted to be engaged by the button, substantially as described.

In witnesswhereof I have hereuntoset my hand in presence-of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM E. RICHARDS.

Witnesses:

E. K. STURTEVANT, E. M. AMORES. 

